Two journalists assaulted by police while trying to cover demonstration against homelessness

Share

(SPP/IFEX) - The SPP condemns the cowardly assault on "La Nación" newspaper journalists Gerardo Benítez and Ismael Villalba by members of the national police force.

On the morning of 24 June 2008, during a protest by "Sin Techo" organisations against homelessness in front of the Office of the Secretary for Social Action (SAS) in Asunción, the national capital, Benítez, a journalist, and Villalba, a photojournalist, were assaulted by the "cascos azules", as the national police are known. The individual policemen cannot be identified due to lack of cooperation on the part of police commissioner Ireneo Giménez, according to "ABC Color" newspaper's webpage.

Benítez said that he was on the sidewalk, alongside the "Sin Techo" demonstration, when a column of police advanced toward him. First they used their shields to separate him from the other people present, then they began kicking him. "I turned around to try to get away; when Villalba tried to take photographs, they started kicking him too, said Benítez.

Villalba said that when he tried to take photographs of the assailants, they continued kicking both journalists. As well, he added, "every time I tried to get closer and take a photograph, they covered their faces with their helmets.

Police chief Giménez took responsibility for the actions of the assailants, but refused to identify the particular police officers involved.

The SPP's board expresses its full support for the journalists who were attacked, and holds the national government responsible for the safety of journalists and other media workers. It also asks for the assailants and their superiors to be punished appropriately.

The SPP also urges all journalists to continue to report these kinds of incident whenever they occur, and to expand the ranks of our organisation to strengthen it and put a definitive end to the assaults and threats that journalists and other media workers currently have to endure.

More from Paraguay

The access to information law that took effect in September 2015 facilitated journalistic investigations into several corruption scandals, including widespread misuse of funds at the National University of Asunción.

"In 2012, journalists investigating corruption and organized crime or who were vocally critical of the government suffered threats and violent attacks by drug cartels, government officials, and the EPP"

IFEX publishes original and member-produced free expression news and reports. Some member content has been edited by IFEX. We invite you to contact [email protected] to request permission to reproduce or republish in whole or in part content from this site.

Get more stories like this

Sign up for our newsletters and get the most important free expression news delivered to your inbox.